I was born on the prairies, where the wind blew free and there was nothing to break the light of the sun. I was born where there were no enclosures. [GERONIMO]

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Chinese Representation in Government Is About Accountability

This article is written by Tan Sri Robert Phang who is the Chairman of Social Care Foundation and a former MACC panel member.

I am amused by the statement made by Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Aziz, the so-called de facto Minister for Law, who declared that he would fight tooth and nail to ensure Chinese representation in a Barisan Nasional (BN) government even if the Chinese component party, namely MCA fails to secure a single parliamentary seat in the coming polls.

That seems to be a truly “Jantan” statement in championing the Chinese cause. If that statement is supposed to elevate Nazri Aziz in the eyes of the Chinese community, then he is mistaken. That statement would in fact constitute an insult to the Chinese electorates.

Who is Nazri to make such offers if the Chinese voters have rejected this Chinese-centric component party? Who appointed Nazri to be the Chinese champion on this issue? Since it is a historical fact that the BN political parties are race-based parties, it is best that Nazri look into his own backyard. I am sure my Malay brothers and sisters would appreciate to have their welfare being continuously taken care of by a vocal Malay Minister like Nazri, and not only during election time.

There is more than meets the eye to Nazri’s statement. I have said it before that the statement by MCA President Datuk Seri Dr Chua Soi Lek is nothing more than a cheap political gimmick. Soi Lek loses nothing by making that statement. He knew that his “pornographic” background makes him unsuitable to be a government Minister. Thus, Soi Lek is actually sacrificing the government posts of other MCA leaders who could pose a threat to his MCA presidency. The Chinese community is not stupid to not see Soi Lek’s objectives.

It was only recently that Nazri Aziz was seen interfering with GLCs by instructing them to appoint a favored legal firm in order to cause a withdrawal of the cases that these GLCS have against former MAS Chairman, Tan Sri Tajuddin Ramli. The public uproar showed that Nazri had miscalculated the public’s intelligence and reaction.

But more than that, I am told that it showed Nazri’s failure to comprehend basic principles of corporate law. I am also told that Nazri’s directive offends the Rule of Law because a government Minister cannot suborn the Board of Directors of a GLC which is a public listed company in that manner. I believe that Nazri should know these things better as he is a lawyer, while I am not.

By the same reasoning, Nazri’s statement on Chinese representation in the government offends basic logic on the purpose and objective of elections. A general election is part of the democratic process to allow the electorates to select the leaders whom they would want to govern over them and the country. If the Chinese electorates have rejected the Chinese leaders from MCA, who is Nazri to force upon us to accept such leaders as our representatives in government?

It is more alarming to note the second part of Nazri’s statement that “The system allows us to appoint senators and we need to have representatives of the non-Malay community.” This confirms the public skepticism that appointments to the Senate have been abused as a backdoor entry into government. This is preposterous. More than that, this statement coming from a senior Minister who is a lawyer, displays sheer arrogance which will be deservedly punished in the coming GE 13.

Let us be reminded that the being elected to form the government is part of the democratic process. It erodes the fundamentals of democracy when a government is formed not from elected representatives but by backdoor appointments from politicians who have failed. A government post is not a trophy for political gratification.

I hope that as a person trained in the law, Nazri would recant his statement as it demeans the democracy that we hope to nurture as we mature as a nation. Merdeka! Merdeka! Merdeka!

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I certainly agree with Tan Sri Robert Phang's comment about the Chinese representation in the government. Had the Chinese community seen it fit to have Chinese representation, they would have voted for MCA or Gerakan instead of going along with Nazri's proposal of the backdoor approach of senatorship. Even if Nazri meant well, what is the point of having such a representation? To look after the interests of the Chinese community or merely acts a window dressing to show the world that the government is multi-racial in composition. On the first count, MCA could have done the job but failed miserably not because of their lackluster manner in taking care of the community but because they are being restrained by UMNO's strong armed tactics. Even with the appointment of Chinese representations via senatorships, the person/s would still end up being the punching bag of UMNO and more subservient because of the appointment itself. On the second count, the Chinese do not need the charade of window dressing as it is another ploy by UMNO using the Chinese for their own benefit.

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About Me

Geronimo, the great Apache chief,once said that there should be no fences surrounding anyone but be allowed to pursue his own sense of happiness. However, I do not think this is happening in Malaysia as the government continue to threaten its populace with the archaic draconian law such as the Internal Security Act; the University and College Act and the Printing and Publication Act. We are not free. I am but just another Malaysian who believes strongly in the unity of all its races and hence, my strong conviction of the Malaysian first, Malaysian last belief.

Dedicated To Those Who Participated In BERSIH 2007

Re-live the guitar music of 60s

If you are having a corporate function or a garden party and would like to be entertained to the guitar music of the 60s, contact Billy Ong at bilyolh@gmail.com. Rock and twist once again to the music of The Shadows, The Ventures, The Chantays & Duane Eddy.

Martin Luther King Jr

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed --- "We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal." I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

Abraham Lincoln

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time, but you can not fool all of the people all of the time; That this is the Government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the Earth.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox

To be sinned in silence when one should protest, make cowards out of men.

Voltaire

How abominably unjust to persecute a man for such an airy trifle as that. I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.

"V" For Vendetta

People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people.

Victor Hugo

An invasion of armies can be resisted, but not an idea whose time has come.

Sir Winston Churchill

Never in the field of human conflict, have so much been owed by so many to so few.

Martin Niemoller

In Germany the Nazis came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up.

Joseph Goebbels

Never allow the public to cool off; never admit a fault or wrong; never concede that there may be some good in your enemy; never leave room for alternatives; never accept blame; concentrate on one enemy at a time and blame him for everything that goes wrong; people will believe a big lie sooner than a little one; and if you repeat it frequently enough people will sooner or later believe it.

Remember what the Tunku said

Mohamed Nazri Aziz

"And yes, I am Malaysian first and Malay next. Does any bigot have a problem with that?"

Khairy Jamaluddin

I am not like a feudal leader, who needs a lot of people around me...In the animal kingdom, those who hunt alone like the lion is king...I say those who need to move around in groups are like monkeys [A direct reference to Ibrahim Ali]

Christina Liew

“Sabah and Sarawak did not join Malaysia but came together along with Singapore and Malaya to form the new federation in 1963.”

Unite Against Racism

Let's not forget these scenes

Teoh Beng Hock - a young life lost

Remembering Teoh Beng Hock

If our Malay brethren and sisters could show sympathy for Teoh Beng Hock, why can't Chua Soi Lek do the same by supporting the setting up of a RCI?